finale

noun

fi·​na·​le fə-ˈna-lē How to pronounce finale (audio) fi-ˈnä- How to pronounce finale (audio)
: the close or termination of something: such as
a
: the last section of an instrumental musical composition
the symphony's finale
b
: the closing part, scene, or number in a public performance
the finale of the ballet
In the finale, the singer sang an Italian classic.
c
: the last and often climactic event or item in a sequence
the TV show's season finale

Examples of finale in a Sentence

She sung a very difficult song for the finale. the finale to the festivities was a grand display of fireworks
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In the second film's big finale, the main trio Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Galifianakis), and Stu (Helms) ride a giant speedboat to Stu's wedding. Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 5 July 2025 Metallica was the penultimate band to perform before the Osbourne/Black Sabbath finale performances. Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 5 July 2025 The announcement was made during the season 12 finale in March 2025. Francesca Gariano, People.com, 5 July 2025 The Dodgers do not have a starter listed for Sunday’s series finale against the Astros, with Roberts admitting that right-hander Emmet Sheehan is a possibility to return from Oklahoma City for the outing. Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for finale

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, noun derivative of finale, adjective, "last, final entry 1," going back to Latin fīnālis

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of finale was in 1774

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Finale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finale. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

finale

noun
fi·​na·​le fə-ˈnal-ē How to pronounce finale (audio) fi-ˈnäl- How to pronounce finale (audio)
: the close or end of something (as a musical work)

More from Merriam-Webster on finale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!